Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize one of the pages, Jaylyn Gaudet, originally from the Sahtu, her home community is Deline, and just appreciating her work assisting us this week. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Sahtu. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Colleagues, I too would like to recognize Mr. Desmond Benoit, one of my constituents from Fort McPherson who is a chaperon for his son Brody Alexie-Benoit, and also page Brenden Vittrekwa, who are with us for the next couple days here. I hope you're enjoying the proceedings. And if we have missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber, and I hope you're enjoying the proceedings.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a heavy heart today I have to ask these questions.

Mr. Speaker, Frank Gruben's been missing for 26 days, last seen in Fort Smith. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to ask my Minister what is the detachment responsible for in the search and rescue of missing Aboriginal peoples? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister responsible for Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I know this has come up a few times in the House and, you know, the last time it came up it was a heavy subject and I, you know, expressed my concern and my thoughts with the family, and I'll do the same today. Clearly this is an issue that's touched people across the territory.

So when there is a missing person, the RCMP do look into it. If there is evidence of a crime, then there's a criminal investigation that occurs. If someone is missing and there is no evidence of a crime, it's still an open case, so. I have been in contact with the commanding officer about this. The department is in contact with the RCMP about this because, you know, I'm hearing from a number of different MLAs on this topic. So we are doing our best to convey the concerns to the RCMP. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the investigator at the detachment is responsible for searching for Frank, and is there any expertise that was given and provided to the Fort Smith detachment from Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The RCMP don't share those kinds of details about investigations, with myself even. So what I can do is I can try -- I will reach out again and see what type of information is out there. I will say that it's my understanding that the RCMP are in contact with the family and when there is anything to update to the family with, they do that. But I can get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I really want to help my Minister in regards to seeing if what we can do other than, you know, relaying messages back and forth. I'd like to see if the Minister's willing to bring the superintendent of the RCMP to meet with the MLAs in caucus or in AOC, our Regular Members, just to give us an update on what's the protocol and what happens when something like this happens? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I can't bring the commanding officer anywhere; I don't have that authority over the commanding officer. The RCMP are independent from the Government of the Northwest Territories. They are contracted. However, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight can reach out and contact the officer. And, frankly, given the interest from the Regular Members I would expect that they would be doing that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will bring it forward to the accountability and oversight committee chair to see if we could bring the detachment or superintendent to meet us with in regards to what happens.

Mr. Speaker, there is not even a list of missing people, Aboriginal people across our territory. And that's what I want to bring forward to the Minister today. There's something has to be done to make a list and let people know that's what's happening. And I think we could do a better job in regards to that. I want to help my Minister to make it better for all of us across the territory on our missing and loved ones and bringing them home.

So, Mr. Speaker, again, I'm asking would the Minister invite the superintendent to meet with us other than getting me to go to another committee chair to ask. Can the Minister do that for us? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I mean, I'm not the chair of AOC. I can't invite someone to attend a meeting that is not my meeting. So, once again, I mean, the Regular Members do have a role in this House. It's not just to stand up and ask questions. They do have power as a standing committee, and they can use that. So I recommend that this discussion, which happens in the House quite often, must be happening up in the Eagle Room of AOC, and so I would recommend that they get together, and they make that request to the commanding officer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year the honourable colleagues on the Standing Committee on Social Development released Lifting NWT Children, Youth and Families: An All-Territory Approach to Keeping Families Together wherein in the committee makes 19 recommendations. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to ask the Minister of health the following question:

The committee's first recommendation calls for a whole-of-government approach to child and family services. What concrete steps, for example policies and instruments, legislation, intergovernmental MOUs, has the Minister taken to this approach? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. We responded to the standing committee's report on October 13th last year. And just to recap briefly, we thanked the committee for their research, recommendations, and engagement. We think that they are positive and will contribute to the well-being of children and youth in our territory. We responded to each recommendation separately. In some cases we were able to act on them in our next quality improvement plan, which will be tabled in the August 2023 session. Other recommendations require funding and so they would go into the business planning process.

And it's worth noting as well, Mr. Speaker, that the department has been reporting and will continue to report annually on the progress of each of the committee's recommendations on system improvement. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide this House today with an accurate update on number of children in the temporary, permanent, and foster care system in the NWT. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As of May 30th this year, there are 133 children and youth in temporary or permanent custody. That compares to 169 children and youth in temporary or permanent custody on September 1st, 2018. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. Mr. Speaker, in the health and social services quality improvement for planning for child and family service people that are 67 of its 70 actions items are either completed or on track. This is significant progress, but can the Minister tell me how many children are in care today compared to 2018 when the plan was started? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. Mr. Speaker, the proposed amendment to the Child and Family Services Act has been moved down the road to the 20th Assembly. Can the Minister advise why her department didn't prioritize this work in the life of this government when there are so many children that are in desperate need of care? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. And mahsi, Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is time to revise the Child and Family Services Act to bring it into alignment with Bill 92, the federal act respecting First Nations, Inuit, and Metis children and families, youth and families. This will align things that are already being done in terms of cultural safety. And so while the legislation has not come up for review in this session, the changes have been made in standards. And it's worth noting as well that we have a limited number of staff to do this policy and legislation work and the staff who would normally be involved in revising the Child and Family Services Act, have negotiated an agreement with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation to devolve services for voluntary services agreement for children to the IRC, and more details of that will be coming at the end of the summer. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.